, 1887-04-20
MAKING SMOKE PICTURES
A New and Suggestive Method of Max
ing Black and White Work.

ing Black and Whit Work.
Painters are proverbial inventors. They
were more so in old times than at pres
ent, for at hat time nothing was estab-
lished and every painter had to make his
own Colors, canvases, and sometimes the
implements he used. Nowadays they
are still an inventive class, for 10 secure
a method of painting which shall be dis
tinctive of his own work only n painter
Is obliged to try new processes and COM
binations of processes until he reaches
n which thoroughly satisfies his de-
|. sires. The results of such researches are
sometimes seen in our exhibitions, especi-
ally in black and white work. The
monotype, 4 painting made V it'll printers
ink on a waxed paper, is one of the more
recent inventions of the kind. The
popularity of the monotype was its
facility of handling and a certain rich
quality of color which compared well
with the etching. The first monotype
was made on a copper plate, and then
was transferred to paper, having been
apparently suggested to the author by
the rubbing" process in etching, Only
n impression of such a plate could be
made, and the experiment has proved
practically useless to the arts.
A still more recent invention, and with
moro novel and valuable effects, is Mr..
w. Hamilton Gibson's ''smoke picture +"
Several CT these smoke pictures were re-
comfy shown in the rooms of the
Authors club, where they received very
general commentator for their broad
and striking effects.
The "smoko picture appears to DO
something entirely new. It may 10
briefly described as o black and white
made by q gas flame upon q cardboard or
paper ground. In Mr.. Gibsoa's first ex-
periments he held tho paper before a hori-
zontal flame, and by passing one part
after another across the flame secured
masses of lampblack, which he found he
could manipulate afterward to great pic
torial advantange. In this awkward
manner he was able to evolve q land
scapo Of decided suggestivcness. Later
he attached q rubber tube to his gas fix
ture, and with 4 suitable nozzle at the
end was able to sit before his easel and
manipulate the gas pipo as he would a
brush. After this innovation he was
able to obtain greater accuracy and to
study better his effects.
After the paper has been coated well
with varying shades Of gray and black it
presents perhaps the suggestion only of q
landscape or figure. Detail may then 10
put in with n brush, with the finger, or
with any desired implement. Where the
removal of tho black By this means leaves
too white n surface tho Gas fame passed
quickly over it will gubduo it % grad
ually as may be wished to q deeper tone.
In its present state the smoke picture is
in its infancy, but it Is certainly n prom
r,,N-- 900 81 81 - H. 1N-.-a - ,a,,,
some relief from the excessive detail of
his ordinary method, Mr.. Gibson was as
tonished and charmed with the 'esults Of
his experiment. Every touch of the
tlamo seemed 10 suggest q new theme.
Tho whole was broad, yet marked with
g%raduationS so delicate as to 10 inimitablo
by any ordinary method of black and
white work. Meanwhile the bold and
intense blacks assumed q rich, velvety
texture and depth which seemed remark
able. Unfortunately, the quality dis
appears under n spray of fixitive, the
liquid apparently forming a solution with
the ~lampblacli, which loses its character
by tho displacement of its particles.
Could some other method of preserving it
be found it would add to the sum of our
knowledge in art a new black by the side
of which the ordinary ivory and lamp
backs would appear light.
The pictures which have thus far re-
suited from Mr.. Gibson's experiments are.
above all broad and suggestive. The pro-
cess is SO rapid that its value for sketching
purposes is already assured. 1t shows
itself furthermore capable of giving re-
marllable "qualities," being capable of
the softest and smoothest of even surface
or of the most bold and broken, according
to the implements used to manipulate it,
the texture of the underground, or pecu-
~liarities of application.
Mr.. Gibson hopes to carry his expert
ments sdll further and to test the value
of his smoke picture for illustrative pur-
poses. Meanwhile the process is s easy
and material so cheap that numbers will
doubtless try it for thomselves.-New
York Commercial Advertiser.